Golden Beach
by dayarani2014
Summary: romance of daya and shreya in a vacation trip
1. Chapter 1

Half of the CID team decided to go for a vacation in a place named "Mauripur". Daya was driving the car while sachin was seating just beside him. In the back seat there were Shreya, Purvi and in the extreme back there were Nikhil and Pankaj. It was a bright sunny day and cool breeze was fanning everyone's faces as the car was rattling ahead through the stranded highway. Delight was rippling in everyone's hearts and reflected upon their ebullient faces.

Sachin: Sir, main to kabhi Mauripur gaya nahi….. kya aap kabhi gaye hain?

Daya:( with a chuckle) nahi…. Aur isliye hi ek thrill mehsus ho raha hai…

Purvi: sir, ACP sir to keh rahe the ki…bohut sundar jagah hai Mauripur, itna sundar ke lautne ka mann nahi karta hai….

Daya: hmmmm… haa.. maine bhi suna to aisa hi… samundar hai.. paharh hai…. Jharna hai.. charo taraf hara hi hara hai…. Abhi bas dekhne ka kami hai….(holding the steering tight he smiled)

Shreya looked at Daya a little fervently before adding,:" aur phir….mehsus karne ka bhi… kami hai sir..

Daya chuckled very lightly seeing archly the face of shreya in the back seat and then concentrated on driving.

Pankaj: magar mujhe ye samajh me nahi aya sir ke hum aise anjan jagah me hi kyu ja rahe hain? Mera matlab hai…. Ke…. Koi jana pehchana jagah me bhi to ja sakte the na… kaun keh sakta hai.. ke waha pe…..koi….

Everyone's laughed at the scare of pankaj and then Nikhil: chinta maat kar Pankaj…. Daya sir hain na… agar koi danger hoga to daya sir tujhe bacha lega naa….

Pankaj: are daya sir kis kis ko bacha lenge? Ek to shreya aur pruvi ka list hai unke hath me…bbb mera matlab ke….

Daya turned a little russet while purvi growled,: kyaa? Daya sir hum ko bacha lenge aur tum ko na bachaega? Ye kaisa baat huya pankaj?

Pankaj: are… magar… main ye na kaha tha baba….

Daya: (with a throaty laugh) achchha thik hai… main kisi ko na bachaunga baba… abhi tum log jhagra khatam karo…. Aur…. Gana shuru karo….

Sachin: exactly…. Chalo chalo gana shuru karo…. Pankaj first….

Pankaj: are sir…. Mujhe na ata hai ganaa…

Purvi: achcha? Us din hi to ga raha tha pee lu pee lun? Nikhil zara ise gudgudi de de to gana nikal ke ayega…

Daya: haa? :-o pankaj?... pee lun pee lun….?

Pankaj: are nahi sir…. Purvi jhut kehti hai… dekhiye naa….

The whole journey was delightful with the chats and jokes and antakshari and it was almost two in the afternoon when they reached Mauripur shanti kutir resort. The place was enveloped indeed within vibrant greenery and entering into the valley everyone left bereft of speech… it was daya who at last murmured , coming outside the car: "beatific"…

At the reception

An aged man welcomed them with demure smile: aaiye sir aaiye madam… aap logo ke liye teen ghar book kiya hai… aur ekdam separated bhi hai who teen ghar… aap logo ko is side me ana nahi parega.. aur aap log back side se hi idhar udhar ja payenge….

Daya: ( with a courteous smile) thank you… abhi khane ka intezam hoga na kuch?

Aged man: jaroor sir… aap log chahe to sperately kha sakte hain.. actually aap logo ke 3 room ek hi suite me hai na..

Daya: many thanks… please khane ka intezam kijiye… sab ko bhookh laga hai… (turning to sachin) sachin tum chabiya leke ghar me chale jao… main ye sara formality pure karke ata hun…

Sachin: magar sir… ghar 3 hai… to aap ek ghar me reh jaiye.. main Nikhil aur pankaj ek me rahenge aur shreya purvi…..

Daya: nahi nahi sachin….. main aur Nikhil reh jate hain… tum aur pankaj reh jao… waise… (smile) pankaj jaise bachcha hai waise achcha bhi hai.. zada pareshan nahi karega tumhe…

Sachin smiled and turned back with all the luggages… while shreya stared at daya… daya gave her a mild titter while purvi came to ask,: sir…. Hum woh room le sakte hain… jaha se samundar dikh raha hai?

Daya's gaze flickered to shreya once as he recalled how she was getting thrilled to be at a recluse beach, an affectionate smile hovered at his face as he nodded to Purvi…

Purvi delightfully departed clenching the hand of shreya… while daya stared at them with infinite tenderness…

At the table, daya was serving everyone….

Purvi: sir please…. Dijiye na…. hum serve kar dete hai….

Daya smiled quietly and only said: " chalo jaldi kha lo… zabardast bhookh laga hoga'..

Pankaj: sir dijiye na.. purvi aur shreya serve karenge to aisa lagega jaise ki ghar me hi hoon… behn bhabi log apne hatho se khila rahe hain…. Hehehehe….

Shreya purvi exchanged surprised and rather a little embarrassing glances while daya said still serving,:" jaroori nahi hai Pankaj… ke khana hamesha auroto ko hi serve karna parega… hum sab ko… sab kam karna chaiye…. Hai na? jaise Purvi aur…..shreya… humare sath kandho se kandha milake criminals ka pitai kar rahe hain… waise hume bhi to khana serve karna ana chaiye na… taqi… kabhi humare ma behno ko pura ka pura chhutti mile… kyu?

Purvi smiled boastfully and danced her eyebrows at pankaj while shreya was gazing at daya with deep enchantment until daya's glance locked with her….

:" rice?" asked daya a little uneasily…

Purvi nudged shreya with her elbow and shreya awakened soon with a shy smile: haa.. haa.. sir… thora sa….

Daya served them all and then started eating slowly while pankaj said: sir aj kya kahi pe nikalna jaroori hai? I mean… itna journey karke aye hain sab.. to ( he smiled in his patent style) thak gaye honge..

Daya: (smiling face) dekho pankaj… hum yaha pe ghumne aye hain… relax karne aye hain… hai na? to kuch bhi karna must nahi hai… jiska mann karega relax karne ka who relax karega.. aur jo ghumna chahte hain.. woh….

Sachin: sir main to kehta hun… ki aj thori rest leke kal subah se shuru karu is jagah ko dekhne ka adventure…

Nikhil: ha sir… aj hum sath baithke gappe kar sakte hain.. kuch khel sakte hain.. kyu pankaj?

Pankaj: exactly… antakshari….ya chhupa chhupi..(wink)

Daya: (smile) all right… jisme sabka khushi hai… wohi honewala hai…

Shreya: sir….. aapka mann kya ….karne ko cha raha hai?

Daya: (a little embarrassed before answering) main to…. Ek detective story leke reh jaunga phir….(smile back into his face)

Purvi: kaun si detective ka story sir?

Daya: Miss Simran Agarwal ki….:-)

Purvi: ye kaun hai sir?

Daya: ye nayi detective hai , bohut sharp hai… kabhi kabhi to ….. inse intelligence udhar lene ka mann karta hai..

Purvi: are sir…. Hum beach pe ja ke baith sakte hain na?

Daya: ( quizzical smile) purvi…. Tum log kam se kam thori si waqt ke liye bhul nahi sakte ho ke… main… main tum logo ka ….daya sir? Haa? Beach pe jane ka mann hoga to….( looked archly at shreya) ….to jake baithna …magar haa.. door jane se.. kisi ek ko inform kar dene se hi chalega…

Lunch session ceased to an end… everyone went their respective rooms…pankaj prepared to have a sleep while sachin concentrated on listening to soft music…

In the room of the ladies.. shreya stood riveted at the side of the window from where the sea was getting visible, the small and large waves were dashing onto the beach with delight with a constant roar…her gaze was deep, unfathomable and gleaming perhaps with innumerous dreams…

Purvi tiptoed behind her and reaching just behind her, she dangled her ear rings to tease her…shreya surprisingly didn't move and closed her eyes to absorb every delightful pleasure around her..

Purvi amused and tickled her neck very slowly while shreya leaned herself against the window pane with a moan of relief… purvi now breathed in an ear of shreya, : daya sir ?"

Shreya startled and turned back in scare shyness and bashfulness: kkya?... daya ..sir.. ' for a moment she felt intense shyness to even pronounce the word 'daya', but she managed to overcome the reticense: daya sir mujhe bula rahe hain kya?'

Purvi: ( with a wry smile) are nahi baba… main to keh rahi thi… ki daya sir kitna achcha hai… ke yaha pe hum sab ko apne chhaya me rakha hain…. Hai na?

Shreya's face reddened as she cringed down and sounded a careless: hmm..

Purvi noticing the colour of shreya's face tried further,: daya sir aisa insan hai… jo ki.. bara hone ka aur chhota hone ka do duty hi achchhi tarike se nibhana jante hain… I am sure agar ACP sir aur Salunkhe sir yaha pe ate tab bhi daya sir itna hi care se un logo ko khilate… jaise ki who hume khilaya hain…

Shreya was suppressing the exquisite bliss to hear these words about daya with all her heart and she this time murmured feverishly: woh aisa hi hain….. her eyes moistened for a little while but she checked herself back watching the eager and teasing face of Purvi and then she laid herself on the bed pretending to be sleepy… purvi too went to the bed with a book….

After almost half an hour when purvi seemed to be sink into sleep, shreya leapt onto her feet and slipped out of the room. She stopped coming under a coconut tree in the beach… it was a sultry afternoon and the sea was seeming quiet. Shreya sat on the sand with dreamy eyes and a shy chuckle and started making an abode with the sand. Her deft fingers were making an abode in such a way as if she dreamt for that since a long….

Daya at the other hand was fidgeting in his room as Nikhil sunk into sleep reading a story book.. he came out of his room and decided to go to the beach , though there was a mild tremble in his heart as it struck him that shreya might be there. Coming slowly within the coconut trees, he noticed shreya, making a tiny house with sands with a ebullience which could be compared to only of a child. Daya's face gleamed with a glow of affection, tenderness until he decided to make her felt his presence…

: this is wonderful shreya…. Tum jaroor art me bachpan se bohut tez reh chuke ho.." he remarked with an endearing smile

Shreya initially startled listening to the rich voice of daya that flowed down her heart making her squirm but she managed to look at him with a pretty smile and said,: nahi sir…. Main art ka itna deewani nahi thi.." she lowered her eyes after delivering her words and flashed an involuntary shy chuckle,

:" ye tumhara modesty hai shreya… ' replied daya,: " agar art achcha nahi lagta to itna sundar ghar kaise bana lete tum ret se?" a smile of a little curiosity mixed with a little bashfulness was reflecting over his face…

Shreya was twiddling with the anchal of her sari…. Yes she wore a sari before coming into the beach…now she kept her fervent eyes upon somewhat abashed face of daya and replied mustering every particle of her courage,: " ssir…. Auratein… ghar apne dil se banate hain… apni mann ki sapno se banate hain….. chahe use kala ka kadr karna aye ya na aye…." Crimson colour rushed over her cheeks but she didn't take her eyes off daya as daya was startled inside and a silent reverence crossed his face … a reverence for a creator, a brave woman…. and perhaps for the whole womankind. He nodded slowly with a soft smile as their eyes met and wandered restively to fathom the depth of the other…. But a wave dashing onto the shore..shattered the abode made by shreya… Daya grunted with despair….:"shreyaaaa…..oh God…" shreya smiled affectionately watching daya's childish despair and said:" koi baat nahi sir…. Phir se ghar banaungi…." Daya was stupefied and gazed at shreya with adoration while shreya further started making the abode now with a content in her face… Daya murmured beneath his breath with immense respect upon the woman in front of him,:" haa shreya…. Mujhe kya maloom tha…. Ki… auratein taqat ka murat hote hain…. Woh to tumhe dekh ke pata chal raha hai… ek tuta huya ghar ko…. Kaise phir se jora jata hai….kaise zero se shuru karke bhi ek imarat bana sakte hain ek aurat…..jaise ke… tum apne hatho se mujhe sikha rahe ho… ke….. daya… ye hain aurat ka roop….." his eloquent gaze broke as shreya spluttered,:" ssir…. Ye hoga kitchen…yaha pe baith ke… main sabzi katungi….. aur ye hoga.. library cum reading room…jaha pe bohut sara books hoga… adventure ka… mystery ka… aur…..ye hoga verandah….. jaha se samundar dekhenge… suraj ka ugna aur dubna bhi dekhenge hum… " she continued smiling with pure bliss but slowly the bliss replaced by a heap of shyness when she noticed daya's shy yet firm face that indicated how he was fighting with cyclonic emotion inside his heart….daya turned his face away to hide the impassioned feelings while shreya remained silent for a little time until both heard the voice of Pankaj,: daya sir…. Daya sir…. Mujhe bachaiye…bachaiye naaa daya sirrr….."

Daya rushed towards the voice of pankaj and caught him within a minute.. pankaj snuggled up against daya with terror stricken face…: kya kkya huya Pankaj?" asked daya with worry….: woh sachin sir…. Mere nak me chhipkali ghusa diya tha…. Oohhhh… my god… chhipkali se main pagal jaise darta hun..'

Shreya who rushed behind daya to see what happned, now couldn't resist her smile and daya too glanced at shreya with an amusing smile…pankaj held daya tightly and begged in trembling voice,: ssir… main aap ke sath rahunga … sir.. sir.. please aap sachin sir ko dat dijiyee…."

Daya nodded with a humorous smile replying,:" achchha baba thik hai….thik hai.. ab chalo ghar…" he then turned back towards shreya and murmured:" tum room me nahi arahe ho?" shreya answered with a smiling face,:" ssir… aap log jaiye… main ati hun…." Daya flashed a mild and indulgent smile before saying:" tea ke pehle to wapas arahe ho na?"

Shreya nodded, trying to held back the fervor inside her..

Daya stepped ahead clutching scared Pankaj.


	2. Chapter 2

It was dusk. Tea was being served at the table and everyone was present there again to relish the beautiful dusk except shreya. she was absent from the scene...Daya though was geting worried for her but didn't express himself until Purvi asked:" sir, Shreya to ghar pe hai nahi...aur abhi tak na ayi.."

daya tried to be composed,:"hmmmm...haaa... kisi ko phone kiya tha woh?" he asked now, failing to repress the tension inside him... sachin and nikhil exchanged a little amusing glances perhaps nurturing the very thought inside their hearts that 'why would she bother to call someone else?'

sachin: woh... (fumble) nahi sir... pata nahi kaha gayi hai akeli...

daya thought something deeply before divulging,:" thik hai.. tum log chay piyo... main beach me dekh ke ata hun... shayad... woh... waha pe ho..." his face turned a little abashed before he turned back and jumped through the stair to search for shreya... he silently reached at the previous coconut tree where he met her in the afternoon, but there wasn't anyone..Daya peered ahead with worried face and kept walking. Though he wished to call her by her name, but one thought intruding into his heart stopped him that might it be possible that she was enjoying this beautiful dusk with the cool blowing breeze and the constant drone of the sea, might it be possible that if he reached her silently then he would be lucky enough to see her glancing at the moon, mesmerised by its beauty. he tiptoed and his anticipation was proved right, as shreya was riveted leaning herself at the thick trunk of a coconut tree, staring deep at the half orange moon ...A tender chuckle rippled through the face of Daya and he murmured behind,:" shreeyaaa..."

:"haa" replied shreya as if under a deep ocean...

:"kya dekh rahi ho?" daya asked it very softly gently

:'aap ko...' shreya replied fervently,:'aap is chand ke jaise ki komal aur ujjwal hain...aap ke ujala itna zada hai...ke...woh...aap ke aspas rehnewalo ka dilo ko bhi roshan kar dete hain...' she closed her gleaming eyes with intense bliss and sniffed a deep breath...her whole face was illuminated with the moonlight while it seemed as if she was shuddering a little as the cool breeze fanning her face...Daya now touched her shoulder a little with an inexplicable content over his face, while shreya turned back with a start; crimson hue of the sky rushed over her shy face and unable to conceal herself she drastically snuggled up against daya, temporarily taking refuge at his broad chest... daya found himself in sheer bafflement blended with electric shock of intense delight and undefinable embarrassment. With trembling hands he kept his palm over the straggling hair of shreya and then rumpled the hair with care, until shreya rose her face and for just a moment kept her hazy fervent glance upon daya's flummoxed ones and then disengaging herself from him she ran away like a shy yet fidgeting little sparrow. daya gazed mutely at the running shreya with a blank expression until she disappeared wholly behind a big rock. and then very slowly yet steadily a coy smile touched his lips thinking about what just happened. he shook his head perhaps to alleviate the clyclone inside him and at the same time appreciating shreya's deep heart...his darting eyes were wandering through everywhere until it fixed at a certain place at the sand from where a glow was coming out.. daya's face became sombre as he approached towards it...something was peeping from the sand, daya cowered down and tried to tug it and realised at once that it was a piece of cloth and that something had been buried at the place...He stood up and called Sachin hurriedly

sachin: yes sir...

daya: yaha...beach pe aao... sidhe ake thora sa daine jaha pe bohut sara rocks hai aur bas teen char naryal ka per...

sachin: ha sir... magar... kya huya sir? shreya thik to hai na?

daya:(a little embarrassed) ha woh... ek serious baat hai... aur haa...Nikhil aur Pankaj ko bhi leke ana...

he cut the line in haste...and looked at the place with investigative eyes...Within two minutes sachin along with the male members reached there with worried face:' kya huya sir? koi problem?'

daya: bohut problem hai Sachin... yaaha pe kuch garha gaya hai...

sachin: yaha pe? kya garha ja sakta hai yaha pe?

daya: shayad koi gunny bag ya... he paused for the reason that he felt bad to spoil everyone's vacation without being sure that they would have to work here instead of relaxing...he resurrected back with a sigh;' zara khod ke dekhte hai ye jagha...waha pe kuch lakri para hai... chalo us se khod ke dekhe...'

everyone engaged themselves in digging the sand...while in the resort shreya returned,lisening to the drumming of her own heart and when she tiptoed into her room she found purvi tensed,:' thank God ke tum agaye... kaha the tum? itni der se Nikhil aur Pankaj ko phone laga rahi hun magar koi phone utha nahi rahe hain...main to abhi soch rahi thi ke sab lock karke beach ke taraf jaungi...

shreya was extremely surprised:' phone matlab? sab kaha gaye?

purvi: sab beach pe gaye ... daya sir sab ko bulaya ...

shreya felt a ripple in her heart listening to the name of Daya and then she tried to compose herself,:" sab ko bulaya? tum nahi gaye?'

purvi: main to ja hi rahi thi.. Sachin sir mujhe mana kiya...aur tab se mujhe tension ho raha hai... kyuki... Daya sir to tumhe hi dhoond ne gaye the...tum tea adda me nahi ayi.. is liye...

shreya's glance deepened remembering what accidently happened between herself and daya sir...she turned back to hide her flush and tried to veer to other topic,:' shayad beach pe baith ke koi jaroori meeting karna tha..." she started changing her attire from sari to jeans and short kurti,:" mujhe to lag raha hai ke hume bhi waha pe jana chaiye tha..." a loose smile of satisfaction adorned her face...

purvi on the other hand added quite gravely,:" agar meeting hi karna tha to Daya sir waha pe nahi bulate... yaaha pe baith ke hi ho sakta tha... nahi shreya.. mujhe lagta hai ke kuch aur hi baat hai...

shreya was still in trance and she resumed,:' bohut sundar chand uga hai asman me... shayad... daya sir... sab ko... wohi... dikhana chahte hain...

now purvi smelt something unusual and with a wry smile she hugged shreya from behind saying,teasingly,:' agar daya sir ko chand hi dekhna aur dikhana hota ...to woh tere sath hi dekh leta na... sab ko kyu bulata?' she continued smiling while shreya closed her eyes as the friendly razz of purvi nudged her sensitive and soft heart making her felt a stream of delight...purvi tightened her hug and now shreya came out of her sweet trance realising that indeed it might be a serious call from daya sir and that she should slip herself into the role of a stout officer at this moment. she turned back with a grim face and suggested,:' haa purvi... tum thik keh rahi ho... chalo hum bhi ja ke dekhte hain... ho sakta hai ke... koi serious baat ho..."

purvi gazed at her a little quizzically for a minute before frowning at shreya funnily...

shreya smiled endearingly and hastened,:' chalo Purvi... jaldi..'

purvi teased her again,:' is se pehle ke daya sir sab ko chand dikha de...'

shreya chuckled shyly growling at purvi and then the ladies started for the beach locking their room...


	3. Chapter 3

Daya along with the team took out a dead body of a woman digging the sand.

sachin: to ye chakkar hai yaha pe...kisi ne sunsan jagah ka faida utha ke lash garh ke chala gaya...

daya: hmmmmm( his mind was thinking about shreya as he reached at the place watching shreya's fervent state)

Nikhil: sir... aap yaha pe kaise paucha?

sachin: ha sir...jab aap yaha pe aye...tab kisi ko dekha tha kya aap?

daya became a little embarrassed and trying to allay the inconvenience inside him he answered,:'woh... aise hi...chalte chalte... agaya yaha pe...aur... nazar par gaya... is aurat ki golden colour ka anchal me to...' he flung his hands and stopped watching shreya and purvi coming into their direction...

purvi: kya huya sir?..ohh.. my God...

daya: phone pe photo le lo is aurat ka... aur aspas ja ke dikhao is photo ko...Sachin, tum aur Pankaj us taraf dekho... aur Nikhil, Purvi tum log south ki taraf dekho... shayad koi pehchan le is aurat ko...

Sachin: (with a wry smile) yes sir...

Pankaj Nikhil Purvi & Sachin dispersed into different direction...

silence fell between daya and shreya... After one full minute daya broke it with an investigative tone of voice,:' jab tum yaaha pe aye ...tab kisi ko dekha tha kya?

shreya too repressing the tide of emotion inside, replied with required sombreness,:' nahi sir... main jab yaha pe ayi...tab to ye jagah bilkul soona tha...

daya: kab aye the tum yaha pe? I mean... approximately kitni der pehle hoga?

shreya: shayaaaad...(cogitating )...bohut der se... mujhe to thik se... yaad bhi...

daya: jab Pankaj ko leke main chala gaya tab se hi tum idhar ho?

shreya: nahi sir... adha ghanta main idhar udhar ghumke dekh rahi thi...

daya: hmmmmm matlab kareeb teen ghanta pehle tum idhar aye...

shreya: shaayaaad... wohi hoga sir...

daya:(a little angry) ye 'shayad' kya hota hai? detectives ke dictionary me 'shayad' shabd ka koi jagah nahi hota hai shreya...

shreya:(shocked and sad) sorry sir...she cringed down and flushed with the colour crimson...

daya noticed the hue of shreya and felt bad inside him for scolding her; after darting his eyes here and there to attain poise he further asked her a little gently,:' tum door door tak bhi kisi ko na dekha?' Though he was not very hopeful to get an answer that could help the investigation as he knew well that shreya had been sunk into the thought of him...being enchanted and mermerised. He felt repentent that for this reason he had to give a reprimand to her...

shreya:(slowly in a withdrawn voice) nahi sir...

daya sighed with despair, but then shreya resurrected recalling something,:' haa sir... maine ek chhota ladka ko door dekha tha...us taraf... woh kuchh der tak beach pe baitha tha.. aur chhote chhote pathar ka tukra leke khel raha tha...

daya: kitna bara tha woh ladka?

shreya: kareeb saat aat sal ka hoga...aur woh bar bar is taraf bhi dekh raha tha... maine us ko hath bhi hilaya tha...phir woh chala gaya...

daya: (very eagerly) kaha? kaha chala gaya tha?

shreya: us taraf...

daya: hmmm matlab raste ke taraf... waha pe ek hotel dikh raha hai... shayad waha pe ghumne aya hai woh...

shreya: magar sir...itna chhota bachcha kya kar sakta hai?

daya:shayad kuch dekha tha usne... eye witness...ho sakta hai na?

shreya:(after nodding) ssir...(hesitating )

daya: ( a little surprised) haa...

shreya:(combating with the reticense)..sir...'shaayd' ka madad aap ko bhi to lena par raha hai...aur har detective ko bhi lena parta hai...( a little huffy)

daya:(feeling a little discomfiture until an indulgent smile crossed his face) haa.. shreya... guess hume jaroor karna parta hai... jo hum nahi dekha us ke bare me...magar...(his tone was gentle and a sympathetic teacher like) magar jo hum dekh ke bhi yaad nahi kar pate hai...us ko...humara khamiya kaha jata hai...hala ki...kaisa bhi... situation ho...(he elongated the smile unknowingly melting the huff of shreya's heart)

shreya hastened in hiding her shy and delighted glance reading which daya could easily have understood that her huff had been effaced by the effect of his priceless smile..

Sachin and pankaj were walking towards them with despair printed over their faces..

sachin: sir.. us taraf to bas per paudhe hi hai... zada dukan na dekha...jo bhi dekha woh log is aurat ko nahi pehchana...

daya:hmmmm... ek kam karo...tum log yaha pe hi raho... hum tab tak us hotel se hokar ate hain...

sachin: yes sir...

daya: aur haa...local police ko bhi khabar karna parega...

pankaj: magar sir... yaha se police station to kareeb do ghanta ka rasta hai...

daya: haa... maloom hai...magar kya kare pankaj?...abhi aur koi chara to nahi hai...lash ko le jana jaroori hai...hum yaha pe phek ke na rakh sakte hain...

pankaj: ha sir...

sachin: okay sir... dekhte hain..Nikhil aur Purvi ko koi clue mile ya nahi...

daya: okay...

daya shreya started for a white coloured bunglow which was situated in the lap of two low knolls... sauntering through the rough moor...shreya felt as if daya wished to say her something..but he was silent and they both maintained silence until they reached at the hotel..There in the reception occuring a complete hullabaloo as some people seeming to be panicking with extreme worry...

daya: kya baat hai sir? aap logo ko koi pareshani ...he was interrupted by a lady with bitter weeping,:" humara beta sir... ek lauta beta mil nahi raha hai..."

daya and shreya exchanged glances and then daya asked further,:' kab se nahi mil raha hai?'

lady:(weeping) do pahr me khana kha ke to meri pas hi sulake rakhi thi..woh beach me jane ka zid kar raha tha...magar main kaha tha ke sham ko sab milke chalenge beach me...phir meri thori akh lag gaya tha...phir uth ke dekha ke woh pas hai nahi...tab se use dhoond rahe hain...magar..(weeping)...

a man: woh nahi mil raha hai...abhi hotelwalo ko poochh raha hun...magar kisi ne use dekha nahi ...

daya: ye kaise ho sakta hai? kisi ne to dekha hoga use...achcha aap ka bete ka umru kya hai?

lady: aat saal ka hai woh(weeping)..

daya looked at shreya with an anticipation and shreya now asked,:'achcha...kya uska surat rounded hai? akhe bare bare hain?

lady and man: haa haa...magar aap ko kaise pata? kya aap dekha use? bataiye na kaha hai humara gublu...please bataiye...

shreya:(looking at daya) sir.. main is ladka ka hi baat kar rahi thi...

daya: hmmmmm... shawad... woh crime ko dekha tha...

man: crime!.. hey bhagwan...kaisa crime sir?

daya:dekhiye... hum CID se hain... hum pure koshish karenge aap ka beta ko wapas lane ka... please aap thora sa dheeraj rakhiye...he then went to the reception and interrogated the receptionist lady,:' us ladka ko bahr jate huye nahi dekha aap?

receptionist: no sir.. main kisi ko nahi dekha...

daya: bahr jane ka ye kya ek hi rasta hai?

recep: yes sir...

daya: to phir kaise na dekha aap? (angry)

recep: sir...main to ek ghanta pehle hi ayi duty me...uske pehle juhi thi yaha pe...

shreya: kaha hai juhi?

recep: shawad woh nikal gayi sir...

daya sighed with despair and then:uski phone number address dijiye hume.. jaldi...

receptionist gave them the informations while shreya noted all down in a notebook..

daya: hum is hotel ka aspas ka area dhoond ke dekhte hain.. taqi pata chale yaha se nikal ke gublu sab se pehle kis taraf gaya tha...

shreya: yes sir...


	4. Chapter 4

They came out of the hotel and went into different direction...daya checked minutely each and every shrub while shreya checked the road on which the people walked...

shreya: sssirrr...

daya: haa shreya...

shreya: ye dekhiye sir... yaha pe ek chhota sa shoe ka nishan... magar sir... ye to yaha tak ake gayab ho gaya...

daya: haa... pakka road tak hai woh nishan... chalo ye to pata chala ke woh pakka road me aya tha... yaha se do taraf koi ja sakte hain...ek to ghane jungle me aur dusra us taraf jaha pe kuchh houses dikh raha hai...

shreya: sir... aap us houses ki taraf dekh lijiye... main...jungle me...

daya: nahiii...( daya was very much prompt and his hurry to say so couldn't stem the worry he had for shreya...he was himself embarrassed listening to his own voice and then after an effort to be poised he sighed ) woh...tum ek kam karo... ye juhi ko phone karke poochh lo...

shreya:( feeling the care of daya she was enamoured, she was mesmerised, but held her emotion in check carefully,dutifully) yes sir...

shreya called juhi and juhi told her that she did see gublu and she had thought at that time that he would go just for a casual walk near the hotel and thus she hadn't stopped him...shreya reprimanded her for her deed and then came back to daya,:' sir.. ye juhi to koi kam me nahi ayegi humara.. woh gublu ko dekhi thi..ye to admit kar liya... uski duty me negligency to hai.. magar sir...kya woh humara investigation me further koi kam me ayegi?

daya:(reflective)...hmmm...ha shreya... hume dusre angle se hi shuru karna parega... chalo lash ke pas...

shreya:yes sir...

but before they stepped ahead, daya's cell rang...it was Nikhil..

nikhil: sir...us aurat ka photo kuch shop ke log pehchan liya...sir woh log kaha ke us aurat idhar hi rehti thi...ek stranded house me sir...

daya: achcha? kis taraf tha woh house woh log bata paye hain?

nikhil: sir.. ye moor cross karke... paharh ke taraf...

daya: thik hai... phir ek kam karo... tum aur sachin paharh ke niche ka houses ko dekho... hum upar ka dekhte hain.. aur pankaj aur purvi ko kehna lash ke pas rehne ke liye...

nikhil: yes sir...

daya cut the line and said:' chalo.. us houses ko check karte hain... mujhe lagta hai..aspas hi kuch milega... kyuki aat saal ka ek bachcha zada door tak to ja nahi sakta hai..

shreya: haa sir... aur to aur.. woh gaya kaha? in logo ne jaroor aspas dhoonda hoga... jab nahi mila is ka to...ek hi matlab ho sakta hai sir...

daya: kya matlab?

shreya: mujhe to lagta hai ke... kisi ne gublu ko kidnap kar liya hai...

daya: (worried) samhal ke shreya... yaad rakhna...is waqt humare pas guns bhi nahi hai...

shreya: yes sir...

they walked hurriedly though with a pretence as if their intention was fastened within the limit of watching the beauty of the place...when they reached nearer a bunch of houses, a local lady nudged her female friend,:'look look...they must have been come from the city..'

friend: honeymoon couple...

lady: made for each other...will you want to offer them shelter?

friend: i am getting jealous.. why doesn't I get such a caring and handsome husband?

they both burst into laughter...

shreya was shrunk in shyness not fully for the misconception of the local ladies.. but for her fantasy which they fanned vigorously in which she wished to look at daya sir with almost dimmed fervent vision as the driver of her life...

daya coming a little far from the houses whispered, carefully,:'mujhe nahi lagta hai shreya...ki yaha pe us aurat ki ghar hai...kyuki agar yaha pe ghar hota to in logo ko pata kaise na chalta kuchh?

they now strolled through a dense moor leaving the bunch of houses back...

shreya: sir...phir hum dhoonde kaise?

daya peering here and there said unmindfully,:'hmmmm...koi na koi rasta to nikalna hi parega...ek itna sangeen jurm ho gaya yaha pe... aur bina pata karke hum kaise ja sakte hain yaha se?

shreya: sir...ACP sir ko ...khabar kare?

daya looked at shreya and then said,:'abhi nahi...humare pas pure teen din abhi bhi bacha huya hai... in teen din me hume is quatil ka pata lagana parega..aur phir...' he paused abruptly and then exclaimed,:'aree...woh kya?'

shreya: kya sir?

daya: udhar dekho...ek stone ka bana huya house lag raha hai...chalo udhar chalke dekhe...magar samhal ke... andar koi reh sakta hai...

both tiptoed towards the house with care and when they reached it seemed as if a freaky silence descended upon the house..

shreya:(whisper) sir... lagta hai yaha pe koi rehte nahi ..

daya: tab to yehi shawad us aurat ka ghar hai... Nikhil bhi to kaha tha ke woh aurat ek sunsan ghar me rehti thi...

they entered into the dark room, gingerly and a noisome smell was coming from somewhere.. daya and shreya covered their noses with their handkerchiefs and silently checking the rooms...shreya entered in a room where there was a moderate sized bed which was slept in and beside that on the floor there was an injection syrynge splintered into pieces along with a smelly liquid..A tiny bottle probably of the medicine too had been placed over the table...Daya picked up the bottle and syrynge in a packet and then stated in undertone,:' shawad ye ek poison hai... aur us aurat ko is poison ko inject karke mara gaya hai...'

shreya: magar sir...us aurat ko koi mara hi kyu? aur sir... kya gublu ke sath is case ka connection hai.. to phir gublu ko leke woh log gaye to gaye kaha?

daya: woh log? kya tumhe lagta hai ke isme ek se zada log hain?

shreya: nahi... matlab...(stammered a little) mujhe to lag raha hai...ke zabardosti karke aurat ko injection lagaya gaya hai.. shawad hathafai me hi ye injection gir gaya tha...to dusra lagaya phir kisi ne...to is me ek se zada logo ka hona mumkin hai sir...

daya: hmmmm...agar us aurat ek injection ko gira diya.. to iska matlab dusra injection bhi uske liye taiyar tha...matlab jo bhi the desperate the aurat ko marne ke liye..(his face became reflective and after some seconds his expression changed from a thoughtful to gentle one) good thought shreya... wake hi isme ek se zada murderer hone ka chance hai.. very good thought...( he flashed an endearing smile at shreya)

shreya:(absorbed the praise of daya with her whole heart which made her a little shy) thank you sir...(she said but she wished to cower down before the man who was scolding, teaching and praising her for her well being..)

they searched everything and gathered the identity card of the woman..her name was Vinita Sahoo; she was divorced. Daya and shreya came out of the darkened house and going back towards the moor..

daya called ..

salunkhe: haa dayaaa.. kaise ho mere bachcha? achcha ye kaho ke tumhe utni sundar jagah me baithe baithe mere yaad kyu agaya?

daya: :) sir.. isi liye hi to yaad agaya.. kuchh bhi sundar ho aur aap ka yaad na aye ye kaise ho sakta hai?

salunkhe: mujhe kuchh samajh me nahi aya... are kahi tum Pradyuman ki tarha mere tang to na kheech rahe ho?

daya: kya baat karte hain aap sir... main aur aapka tang...

shreya chuckled listening to the words of daya...

daya: sir... sundar jagah mann ko romantic bana deta hai na.. aur sir.. aap se zada romantic kaun hain CID me? (chuckling)

salunkhe: oye mera bachcha... jug jug jiyo tum daya.. chalo koi to tarif karta hai mera...

daya: nahi sir... ye tarif Mumbai wapas ake main to na karunga... kyuki sir... (laugh) garbar hoga us me...bas abhi door se ACP sir ke akho ke bahar ho ke hi keh pa raha hun(continued laughing)

shreya had having a serene happiness inside seeing daya in a jocose mood ..

salunkhe: waise daya... mujhe to lagta hai... CID ka sab se romantic member ka crown kisi aur ko jana chaiye...

daya: kis ko sir?( with a little fear)

salunkhe: oye Shreya ko aur kise?

daya jolted inside...as if his heart jumped suddenly without giving him any prior notice and kept beating fast listening to the words of Salunkhe sir...

salunkhe: Mauripur ki sundarta ka baatein sun ke sab se zada khush to shreya hi ho gayi thi...aur mujhe poochh bhi rahi thi.. ki kaise hain sara beaches...are sab thik hain na? beach me ghum rahe ho na bohut?

daya combating with an unknown emotion of shyness and bliss, came back jabbering out..:' hha hhhaaaaaaa sir... ghum rahe hain... woh sir... sapno ki desh se wapas ake ab main aap ko ek practical baat poochhunga...

salunkhe:(laughing) poochho... tumhare liye koi bhi sawal ka jawab dunga main..

daya:( looking at the label of the bottle) sir.. sarcopetax nam ka dawai kiske liye use hota hai?

salunkhe: ye to ek poison hai...kisi ke sharir me poison chala jaye to anti dote ka kam karta hai ye...

daya: aur sir agar koi susth insan ko diya jaye?

salunkhe: sidhe maut Dayaa...dus minute ki andar maut ho jayega use... ye khatarnak poison hai..

daya: aur sir...is poison ki asar pe kya akho ke niche ka ansh violet ho jata hai?

salunkhe: haaaa...are tumhe kaise pata chala ye?

daya: woohhh... bas... achcha thik hai sir... baad me baatein karenge aap se...

salunkhe: are dayaa... ye to bataya hi nahi ke Sachin Poorvi Shreya sab kaise hain?

daya: sab thik hain sir... wapas ake baat karenge...thik hai...

salunkhe: okay my child..

daya: okay...

daya cut the line and then said gravely,:' poison se hi mara gaya hai us aurat ko..,chalo.. lash ke pas wapas chalte hain...'

shreya: aur sir gublu?

daya: gublu ka pata lagane ki clue ke liye hi to hum ye sab kar rahe hain...

shreya:( being a little emotional) sir... jaise gublu ki ma ro rahi thi... unko dekh ke...I mean(trying to check back herself)...bura lag raha tha sir...

daya looked at shreya with affection and shook his head and then said sympathetically,:' main samajhta hun Shreya... magar jajbat me behk jau to kam kaise karenge?'

shreya: sir.. humare liye kehna to asan hota hai.. magar jo log jhelte hain.. unko samajh me ata hai asli taqleef...( her voice sounded a little sulky)

daya smiled dolorously and then sighed to say,:' pata hai Shreya...tab main naya naya CID join kiya tha... ' his glance deepened as he sank into the past,:' ek barsat ka raat tha woh... ek admi ka maut ho gaya tha... aur mujhe aur viren sir ko jana para uska family ko inform karne ke liye... us mara huya admi ki ma ki woh dard bhara cheekh...rona...mujhe bardast nahi ho raha tha... main bahr ake khara tha... barish me...baad me viren sir mujhe kaha ke " tum bahr kyu khare ho? bheekh ke to kawa ban gaye ho..." to main bas ye kaha tha ki... mujhe ghar ki mahaul stiffling lag raha tha...'

shreya kept beholding at daya with feverish eyes while daya kept saying,:' tab se kuchh raat main thik se so nahi paya us cheekh ko yaad karke... magar phir dekha har roz hi ye khoon har roz hi kidnapping... har roz hi...' he stopped and then took a long deep breath ...and then resurrected,:' ye sab dekhte dekhte... shawad humara sensitivity hi dull ho gaya...' a rueful smile further crossed his face..

shreya:(promptly and fervently) nahi huya sir...agar sach me hi... aap ka sensitivity dull ho jata ...to sir aap ko ye ghatna yaad bhi na rehta...

daya stared at her for some seconds and then just flashed a coy smile in reply, though within himself he was murmuring impassionedly,:' ye to tumhara asar hai Shreya...tumhara nazre, tumhara diya huya shraddha se mera jee chahta hai phir se... woh daya ban jau... jise violence se repulsion hota tha... jise dusro ke ansu dekh ke ansu ata tha...jo sab insan ko vishwas karna janta tha...jo galti me bhi kisi ko chot pauchane ka soch bhi na sakta tha...' his trance was broken as a hawk screamed loud...Pulling himself together he spluttered,:'chalo...wapas chalte hain'

shreya too breaking her gaze cringed down for hiding her shy face and for concentrating on her way...After the magical silence of about one minute, shreya stated,:'sir...yaha ka ghas itna bara bara hai...yaha pe bhi koi chhup ke us ghar ke upar nazar rakh sakte hain..'

daya:haa...ek normal insan aram se chhup sakta hai ghas me...

darkness had become impenetrable and with much difficulty daya and shreya were stepping ahead towards the beach..moon was gleaming more brightly,showing them the way..cricket started sounding by then...After about five minute...shreya suddenly fell with a grunt...Daya hastened worriedly to grasp her in his arms and accidentally came very closer of each other...In the stark darkness daya saw that the eyes of shreya were glistening abnormally...something inexplicable was there within her glance... something akin to profound reverence and adoration... something.. which couldn't be defined in one words... it seemed as if shreya could devote herself for him...as if she could fight with the whole world for him...He wished to rumple her loose hair at that moment.. he craved to lull her within his arms with every drop of care..

'tumhe... tumhe... chot to na laga?' stammered daya...

'nahi sir,' sursurrated shreya...

'chalo' daya clipped quietly...

An unspoken tension sprang out between them... a tension that perhaps they themselves couldn't cope with ease...they started again...trying to appease the the surging emotion of their hearts...Rest of the way they hadn't spoken to each other...and after reaching the beach they heard that police would be reaching Mauripur in fifteen minutes...

sachin: sir mere sath abhi hi baat huya... woh log bas pauch hi rahe hain...aur sir paharh ki niche to us aurat ka ghar ka koi trace na mila hume...

daya: hmmm... lash ko check kiya tha?

poorvi: haa sir...hatho me kuch scratches hai...aur gale ko dekh ke lagta hai... koi chain ko kheech ke liya gaya...

daya: hmmmm...hathafai ka scratches shawad...thik hai.. tum log resort me wapas chale jao... main aur sachin yaha ka samhal lete hain...

poorvi: magar sir... aisa kaise ho sakta hai... ke aap log kam karte rahenge aur hum wapas chale jaye?

pankaj: aur sir.. kam karenge to kaise? poore area me to electricity nahi hai... andhera hi andhera hai...

daya: chahe andhera ho ya ujala... murderers ka pata to lagana hi parega...

pankaj: kaise sir? andhera me kuchh na dikhai de raha hai...aur sir bohut machchhar bhi kat raha hai..

daya:(with a smile) aj se sau der sau sal pehle to kahi pe bhi electricity nahi tha... magar detectives apna kaam to bakhubi se karte the...jaise ke sherlock holmes...

pankaj: magar sir...

daya: pankaaaj...waise bhi tumhe kam karna na parega... tum log wapas chale jao...

shreya: ssir...

daya: please shreya...zid maat karo... tum log resort me chale jao...

except daya and sachin everyone turned back reluctantly and returned to the resort with sluggish steps.


	5. Chapter 5

In the ladies room (one hour later)

shreya had been sunk in deep thought while purvi nudged her,:' shreya...kya daya sir aur sachin sir aj pure rat kam karenge?'

shreya answered unmindfully,:' haa... shayaad...

purvi: crime humara pichha hi na chhorta hai... hai na? (she was expecting some reply from shreya but shreya was silent and then she herself added) nahi to itna sundar jagah me ake bhi kya hume criminals ke pichhe bhagna parta?

shreya again answered stoically,:'hmmm'.

now purvi pulled shreya's hand with a freindly razz and complained with humour,:' kya shreya... bas haa hmm yehi bol rahe ho tum... isse to achcha rehta ke hum bhi waha pe daya sir aur sachin sir ke sath kam karte'

shreya gave her a flippant smile and just at that moment their door was tapped.

It was Nikhil,:' daya sir call kiya tha... hume dinner kar lene ke liye kaha'

purvi: magar aise kaise ho sakta hai Nikhil? daya sir sachin sir abhi bhi kam kar rahe hain... woh log bhukhe kam karenge aur hum kha lenge...

nikhil: haa purvi...maine bhi yehi kaha tha.. magar daya sir kaha hai ye unka order hai... aur kisi bhi hal me hume woh follow karna paregaa...

purvi and shreya remained silent.. while nikhil hesitated irresolutely a little before saying,:'khana served hai.. tum log ajao..' purvi stepped ahead and asked surprisingly,:' shreya chalo...'

shreya's expression changed from an reflective one to a determined one and she now said with poise,:' tum jao... main abhi arahi hun.'

purvi reluctantly went ahead alone.

At the beach(half an hour later)

sachin: ye achcha huya sir... ke kam se kam body ko to custody me le liya policewale..

daya: haa sachin, abhi ke liye sach me hi hume kam ruk ke rakhna parega... kyuki torches ka battery down ho raha hai... aur andhere me hume kuchh dikhai bhi na par raha hai...

sachin: ha sir.. kya hum resort wapas chalenge?

daya: (thoughtfully) ek bachcha gayab hai Sachin... shayad abhi tak uska kuchh pata na chala.. mann keh raha hai ki investigation jari rakhu... magar...(he thought something deeply and then ) chalo... ekbar resort wapas chalte hain...

on the half way they saw nikhil was rushing towards them...

daya: nikhil?...kya huya? kyu bhag rahe ho aise?

nikhil:(panting hard) ssir... ssir... woh resort me shreya kahi hai nahi...

daya: kkya? hai nahi? hai nahi matlab kya hai? aspas hi hogi...tum log thik se... dhoond ...dhoond ke na dekha

nikhil: nahi sir...hum sab jagah pe dhoonda... udhar pankaj aur purvi bhi dhoondne gaye hain...

sachin: magar kab se gayab hai shreya? ye to pata hoga na tum logo ko( with a little bitterness)

nikhil: exactly to pata nahi... magar dinner ke thik pehle bhi to thi kamra me...

daya:(very worriedly) dinner kab kiya tum log?

nikhil: sir kareeb adha ghanta pehle... shreya nahi arahi thi to hum thora dheere dheere hi kha rahe the...magar jab woh bohut hi late ho rahi thi to purvi ja ke kamra check kiya aur dekha ke kamra me shreya nahi hai... phir kisi bhi tarha hum dinner khatam karke usko dhoondne lag gaye...

daya: are lekin woh jayegi to jayegi kaha?... is jagah ka woh kuchh na janti hai... itna andhera hai.. upar se..

beads of perspiration stood over the forehead of daya..

nikhil: bohut der se aspas check karne ke baad hi hum resort se bahar aye sir...(helpless face)

sachin: phone lagaya tha use?

nikhil: haa sir... magar phone switched off araha hai...

daya: damn it...

sachin: sir... kahi woh beach pe to chali na gayi?

daya: beach me?

sachin: ha sir.. aap ko to pata hi...hoga.. I mean.. ke shreya ko beach bohut hi pasand hai..

daya lost the sense at that moment to feel embarrassed at what sachin alluded and he protested firmly,:' nahi sachin... shreya nature lover jaroor ho sakti hai... magar woh itna irresponsible nahi hai ke bina inform karke sab ko wait karake achanak beach me chali jaye...'

nikhil: to sir ab hum kare kya?

daya:(with a hard face) charo taraf phail jao... hume usko dhoond ke nikalna parega... har jagah check karo... magar ha... samhal ke sabdhan ho ke...aur bina shor macha ke...

sachin & nikhil: yes sir...

they dispersed in different directions..and concentrated on searching...

dawn approached slowly in a melancholy manner squeezing out the energy of them but nothing solid came to their hand... daya summoned everyone to meet at the resort right at the seven o'clock...

At the table

everyone was sitting cringing their respective heads for the grim failure to fetch shreya back into the resort. daya was the first one to break the silence,:' is waqt... hume... hoshiyari se kadam uthana parega... aur phir... ye ulajhta huya mystery ko bhi solve karna parega...'

sachin: sir hum to har possible jagah ko check kiya hain...

purvi: ha sir...aur beach ka ek ek rock ko bhi...

A pall of darkness muffled the face of daya and at the same time his jaws were bobbing up and down in a terrible mixture of anger grief and worry; his eyes were radiating fury penetrating the tears. He clipped hoarsely,:' aj ka din hume koshish karna parega... nahi to...' he paused, lowered his head down and then continued ,:' nahi to... CID bureau me inform karna parega...'

breakfast laid over the table... but no one had the urge to take the food... daya leapt to his feet without touching anything and after about half an hour he called sachin in his room

sachin: yes sir...

daya: sachin... main bahr ja raha hun... agar...agar aj rat tak wapas na aya to tum log Mumbai khabar kar dena...thik hai?..

sachin: magar sir... aap ja kaha rahe hain?

daya: (with a stern face) phil hal to waha pe hi jaunga jaha se sab kuchh shuru huya tha...

sachin: sir hum bhi chalte hain aap ke sath...

daya: nahi Sachin... tum log dusri taraf dhoondo... woh...barren moor ki taraf...shreya ka pata lagte hi main tum ko phone kar dunga...

sachin: thik hai sir... magar sir... aap... akela...

daya: mere chinta na karo sachin...main samhal ke chalunga...

At eight o'clock daya started further in searching for Shreya. His heart was beating fast and even if the cool onshore breeze was blowing relentlessly, he felt as if a warm wave was blowing around him making him inexplicably restive. Crossing the green moor he first went to the hotel reception...

daya: excuse me... kal yaha se ek bachcha kho gaya tha aaj kya...

recep: no sir... bachcha ka parents yaha lounge me baithe huye hain..

daya went to the lounge and parents of gublu rushed to him with anticipation,:' sir..kuchh pata chala humara gublu ka?' daya sighed with distress and with a grim face he replied,:' nahi madam, ab tak na chala... magar humara koshish jari hai...shayad thori si dheeraj rakhna parega hum sab ko...'

parents kept crying nuzzling each other...while daya turned back and strode out of the hotel...


	6. Chapter 6

There coming onto the road, he recalled that how shreya was keen to go towards the jungle yesterday and how he had stopped her going there..With thumping heart he stepped towards the jungle...Initially it seemed like a garden with many trees but as he entered there it converted into a dense jungle and the density was growing gradually...At one moment he felt that the foliages of the bigger trees had covered the jungle in such a manner that even the sunlight was not coming there properly...Shrieks and scrams of the animals were getting audible and at the same time the constant whizzing sound of the crickets. As he thrust his way into the jungle, the crunching of the dried leaves too was getting audible..Daya stopped and leaned at a trunk for a little...yes he was getting weary, physically as he hadn't eat anything since last night. Beads of sweat were gleaming over his face as he had hobbled almost one hour without having the success of locating shreya..He panted with exhaustion and closed his eyes as severe thirst was making him weak...but in the darkness of the closed eyes when shreya's pleading imploring face kept flickering unbidden then his eyes flung open and he started trudging further...hawks were soaring high with a shrill shriek and it seemed to him as if they were mocking him badly for being careless about shreya...A searing pain of repentance was crumbling his heart...where could she go? had she come in this dense jungle at all? the jungle which seemed to be so dangerous and impenetrable in the presence of the sun, how could she cross this in the dead of the night? If she were to find gublu, why hadn't she bothered about informing her colleagues? couldn't she write a tiny note to her...her 'daya sir'? Thick layer of huff accummulated unknowingly within the heart of Daya.

Some hours elapsed rapidly as he had been shuffling through the jungle making himself completely worn out...At almost 3 in the afternoon he slumped down on a rock for taking some rest which was very badly needed for him at that moment and gasped for a little water...After about five minutes when he could sniff the cool air normally, a babbling sound of liquid he heard from a near distant. He grasped a trunk of a tree tight and leapt to his feet...A bunch of questions started crowding in his mind.. 'Kya aspas hi koi jharna hai? haaa... shreya kaha to tha ki ek din us jharna dekhne jana hai' a doleful smile crossed his face as he thought with a tint of sadness 'kya pata tha...ki aise ana parega is jharna ke pas...'

sachin and purvi panted with tiredness as they crossed the last boundary of the barren moor while nikhil and pankaj were checking within the shingly beach adorned with coconut trees...But no one so far had the success of having any trace of shreya...

sachin: nahi purvi...mujhe nahi lagta hai... yaha shreya ho sakti hai...

purvi: magar sir...itni kam waqt me kaha chali ja sakti hai woh?

sachin was staring at a knoll and then said,:' yehi barren moor ka end hai...hai na?'

purvi: ha sir... resort ka owner to yehi kaha...ke jaha pe..'Shirkunj' Paharh hai...wohi barren moor ka akhri seema hai...

sachin: aur is paharh ke us par?

purvi:(surprised) sir?

sachin: haa...agar hum us par chale to?

purvi: magar sir...yaha pe...

sachin: kya kare purvi?..(a sigh of distress) shreya gayab hai... aur... aur...(again a sigh) daya sir ki taraf dekh nahi pa raha hun...kal se bina khana bina paani ke shreya ko ...he paused and cringed his head down..

purvi's face too clouded with a mixture of worry and pain,:' haa sir...mujhe to... (she stammered) mujhe to...is baat ka chinta ho raha hai ki...shreya ko...

sachin: nahi purvi...shreya ko kuchh nahi hogaa...chalo us paharh me charne ka koshish karte hain...

(in jungle)

daya hobbling a little more found a beautiful cascade. he sprinkled some water upon his tired face and then looked around to sense in what direction he should go...Suddenly in the pellucid water of the little pond, his glance tucked at some glaring material and as he picked it under the knee deep water, he remembered it as an ear ring of Shreya. He never remembered any ear rings or any other jewellery but when shreya ...a faint smile reflected over his face as he recalled how shreya had hidden her crimson face burying it into his bosom...and it was then her dangling ear ring accidentally touched his hand...Daya kept staring at it with coveted glance...his face once contorted with a pain and with a begging glance as if he was imploring before the Almighty that if You have helped me to find this ear ring, then please help me to find the owner of this ear ring...Standing straigth on his foot he stepped ahead.

(in the knoll)

Crossing the knoll with much difficulty Sachin and purvi turned speechless with sheer stupefaction..

purvi: sir...yaha se utarne se to...jungle hai...

sachin: ha purvi...matlab ke ye barren moor aur jungle yaha pe ake mile hain...chalo utarke dekhte hain...

purvi: magar sir...kya daya sir yaha pe aye hain? aur kya ye possible hai ki shreya yaha pe...

sachin: yehi ek jagah hai purvi...jo ki hum kal rat se check nahi kar paye...aur shayad ...daya sir bhi yaha pe honge...chalo age bar ke dekhte hain...

(in jungle)

Daya now started screaming with the dregs of his energy-shreeyaaaaaaaa...

the thickness of the jungle reduced here and some shafts of light were coming to help daya locating the trees...another ten minute walk brought him near a well that was covered...daya was passing over it...but at that moment a distinct sound stopped him,; the sound was like some heavy weighted thing hit the tinsel...

daya further screamed,:' shreeyaaaaaa...kaha ho tum?'

further the sound came , this time stronger than the previous one...

daya's staggered face was getting eager and very abruptly his glance stucked over that covered well...He rushed there and kept the cover aside to expose the darkened well...

daya: shreeyaaaa...

'main yaha hun Sssir...kuya ka ekdam niche...gublu bhi hai mere sath' it was shreya's voice

daya sighed with relief and at the very next moment he was worried as to how he could rescue shreya and gublu from that deep darkened well. He asked with loud voice,:' itni niche kaise gayi tum?'

shreya: sssirrr...it ka bana huya ek stair hai middle tak...waha se main niche kud gayi...

daya noticed the broken stair and then from the near he brought a thickened twisted branch of a tree which could be used as a cord. Then he himself entered into the well stepping carefully upon the troublesome stair while shreya scremed with heightened tension,:'ssir... samhal ke ...'

coming at the mid well where the brick made stair ceased, daya alighted the cord down,:' gubluu... zor se pakro is rassi ko...zor se...'

gublu grasped the cord and it was easy for daya to take him up and send him up out of the well...

:'shreyaa...rassi ko pakarke rehna,' daya repeated anxiously...At the first attempt though shreya slipped and slumped down...

:'shreyaaaaaaaaa...samhalo...' exclaimed daya, unable to stem the tension inside him.

at the second attempt though shreya managed to grasp the cord until with a jerk she fell within the secure arms of daya...everything seemed dark for some seconds, before she could sense that she had been locked herself within the embrace of daya...The thumping of his heart blending into her own breath as if trippled within her blood, making her insanely shy and happy..She never felt more warm and secure in her life...An exquisite pleasure passing through every veins of her as she leaned her face over the heaving chest of daya, as her nose lightly touched the throbbing adam's apple of him..It seemed as if each drop of weariness had been replaced by a surging wave of content and bliss...

daya panted after almost a minute,:'shreeyaa... shreyaa... ttum...tum thik ho naaa?'

shreya answered with quivering lips and closed eyes,:' haa sir...aap ke pas hokar...kaise ...main thik na rahu?' daya now regained his consciousness and opened his eyes with a start only to realise that shreya had taken refuge to him..he kept passing his palm soothingly over her tangled hair until shreya could rise her face with a mixture of delight and bashfulness..and when her glance fell upon his, it seemed he had gone into sulk like a little child and his eyes filled with tears but he averted his glance forcefully...Shreya felt as if her breath had been stopped and her lips trembled to speak out every single incident which she couldn't reveal before...but at this moment she heard some voices outside the well...


	7. Chapter 7

daya: ye to sachin ka awaz hai...( he then glanced at shreya with a little huff and clasping her hand helped her to go outside the well...

shreya came out as well as daya and found sachin and purvi there with aweful stupefaction.

sachin: sir...!

daya: tum log? yaha?

Purvi: sir... barren moor ka akhri seema ka paharh ko cross karke hume ye jungle mila...

sachin: thank God sir... aap log thik ho...humne to sacha ke yaaha pe shreya ka ane ka chance bohut kam hai...

shreya: sorry sir...magar gublu ke liye main...she couldn't finish while daya stepped ahead taking gublu in his lap,:' main hotel ja ke gublu ko uska parents tak paucha dun...tum log resort chale jaao..'

sachin & purvi( a little suspiciously surprised) jee sir... while shreya stared at moving daya, suppresing a stifle pain, until sachin came back,:' haaa to shreya...kaise agayi tum yaha pe?'

shreya lowered her head and answered with a very low and sad voice,:' sir...us din rat...jab purvi mujhe dinner ke liye bula rahi thi...tab mujhe laga...ki... shayaad un gundo ne gublu ko is jungle me kahi chhupa diyaa...aur...aur mujhe laga ki...' his voice dried away while purvi gave her a bottle of drinking water and after drinking some water shreya started speaking again,:' laga ki... agar daya sir ka guess sahi ho...to gublu is murder ka eye witness hoga...aur phir subah tak woh log use mar bhi dal sakte hain...Is liye main ek torch leke nikal pari...ye soch ke ki agar main gublu tak pauch saku to sab ko inform kar dungi...magar...' he paused watching that daya went far ahead of them without caring to listen to her words...Crimson colour of profound pain rushed to her cheeks...Purvi sensed it noticing the direction of shreya's glance and she said sympathetically,:'sir shreya thaki huyi hai...resort me wapas ja ke sab baat sunenge...'

sachin: nahi purvi...abhi sun na jaroori hai...ha phir kya huya?

shreya came back with a jolt and continued,:' phir...phir... sir...main jungle me ghus gayi...bohut andhera tha...torch ki roshni se jitna ho raha tha utna hi dekh pa rahi thi...achanak mujhe char panch gundo ne pakr liyaa...main...main...' she gulped back a clod of pain and guilt and then ,:' sir...bohut koshish kiya ...magar woh log charo taraf se mujhe gher liya tha...aur sir...sar ki pichhe se mujhe mar ke behosh kar diyaa...'

sachin:(with a bitter expression) ohh no...tumhe kam se kam do aur officer ko leke jana chaiye tha...phir kya huya?

shreya: phir jab meri hosh aya...tab main dekha ki mujhe gublu ke sath bandh ke rakha hai...waha pe do gunde the...main kuchh tricks karke mushkil se gublu ko leke waha se bhagi...magar un gundo ne pichhe tak ate raha...phir mujhe woh kuya dekha aur main us kuya me utar ke cover laaga diya taqi sab ko lage ke ye ek bandh kuya hai...tab se main aur gublu waha pe hi baithe the...kareeb saat aat ghanta tak...kaise bahr niklu kuchh pata nahi chal raha tha...tab achanak...aise lagaa...jaise ki...

warm tears streaked down her cheeks as she jabbered out,:'daya sir ki...awaz...Main...patthar ka tukra leke upar tak throw kiya...jo kuya ka dhakkan me lag ke awaz kiya...aur daya sir ko...' her voice ebbed away and she very suddenly burst into tears embracing purvi tight...Purvi tried to allay shreya's pain with all possible effort while sachin said,:' relax Shreya...achcha matlab un gundo ne isi jungle me hain abhi?'

shreya:(with bitter sobs) ho sakte hain sir...main...main un logo ko...pakr na payi sir...sorry...

sachin: are shreya...tumne bohut achcha kam kiya...gublu ka jaan bachana sab se zada important tha...haa us gundo ka bhi pata to chal jayegaa... hum police ki madad lenge aur pura jungle ko chhan marenge...

purvi held shreya tight and helped her to step ahead...

sachin: gublu mil jane ki baad tum hume inform kyu na kiya?

shreya: sir... meri battery down ho gaya tha aur phir signal bhi na mil raaha tha mujhe...

The sun had beamed down when they returned to the resort...Purvi fetched tea for everyone after being fresh...Nikhil and Pankaj were praising shreya for her deed and at the same time teasing her with friendly humour...but with all her consciousness shreya knew that her whole heart was craving to see daya at a glance...because after their returning into the resort she hadn't seen him once though two full hour had been passed...her forlorn face was enough for her colleagues to sense why she hadn't been able to participate in adda and despite of doing such a brave work why she had been stooping down like a dried flower...she slowly leaped onto her feet while sachin said with authoritative voice,:' shreya abhi bahar na jaao...kam se kam aj rest kar lo...' Sobs lurched within her throat and she rushed into her room only to weep her heart out burying her face into a pillow. she was completely unaware when purvi entered into the room and locked the door...coming beside her when purvi touched her arm to console, she couldn't help it but divulge, in between sobs,:'sir...naraz ho gaye...ab...main khud ko...kaise maaf karungi Purvi...main...main...'

purvi flashed a tender smile at her and said slowly,:' tujhe bas daya sir ka narazgi hi nazar me aya...pata hai...kal rat se leke is waqt tak...woh kuchh na khaya...kuchh bhi naa...' shreya listened and stared at some unknown object with fervour until burying her blushing face into the arms of purvi when she whispered in her ear,:' pagli...jis ko itna pyar karti hai...uska narazgi se itna darr? unka sara narazgi chutki me door ho jayega...jis waqt tu unke kareeb jayegi...' her lips were pressed into a mischievous smile which made shreya more shy shy & shy...


	8. Chapter 8

Shreya sunk into deep sleep in the night after having dinner as she was damn

tired. When daya slipped into his room no one knew, even his roommate pankaj too

was in dark about the arrival of him..

Next day when everyone gathered at the table to have the breakfast with rather a

relax mood daya came with a grim face and informed,:' panch gunde ko arrest kiya

hai aj police, un me se ek admit kiya hai ki usko us aurat ka ex husband supari

diya tha...aur poison bhi supply kiya tha...'

sachin tugging a toast asked eagerly,:' us ka ex husband ka kuchh pata chala kya

sir?'

daya answered gravely,:' haaa... Mumbai me rehta hai woh...aur sun ke chauk jaoge

ki woh ek doctor hai'

nikhil: sir? ek doctor aisa kiya?

daya: haa nikhil...wohi to...gublu eye witness ye shaq karke us ko pakr ke le

gaya aur phir lalaj agaya ke usko chhupa ke rakh ke bara sa amount mang kiya jaye

uske parents ke pas se...magar gublu itna bahadur nikla ki woh apna parents ka

pata batane me inqar kiya...until...(he paused and said lowering his voice)

shreya waha pe pauchi...

sachin: sir... kuch bhi boliye... kabhi kabhi aisa lagta hai jaise ki hum pichhe

ki taraf chal rahe hain...Civilisation se bohut door ek uncivilized wicked

society ki taraf...

daya:(with a reflective face) haa sachin...tumne sahi kaha... doctor se leke

teacher, majdoor se leke politician sab me immorality phail gaya hai...(though he

was trying to be normal chatting with all but one thought was disturbing him that

where shreya was) aur phir...he stopped as shreya appeared with sluggish steps

into the table... daya lapsed into silence and that was noticed by all with wry

and humorous smiles...

sachin:(with a smile): are shreya aao...baitho...

shreya: yes sir...

nikhil: kal rat neend huya tha na?

shreya shrunk in embarrassment and when sachin looked at daya, he too averted his

glance with a discomfort... nikhil too felt uneasy as he now perceived that

perhaps his question was alluding something else.. he tried to explain it with

fumble,:' mmera matlab hai ki...kal...rat bohut thaki huyi thi naa...'

shreya:hha nikhil...

purvi:( with an affectionate smile) achcha chalo...abhi khao...

everyone turned silent, while pankaj complained,:' sir, ghumne ke liye ake hum to

ghum hi na paye...bas kam hi kam...maine kaha tha na isse achchha rehta agar hum

koi jana pehchana jagah me jate...'

sachin: haa sir... suna hai pas me ek angoor ka khet hai...kya chalenge aj waha

pe?

daya with a withdrawn smile replied,:' jaise tum sab ka marzi...' sipping a

little juice, he stood up and went towards his room...

shreya stared at him with eloquent eyes until sachin asked,:'shreya...tum aj to

better feel kar rahi ho na?'

shreya:(in low voice) haa sir...

sachin: tab to hum sach me khub maja karenge aj, kyu nikhil?

nikhil smiled at him significantly saying,:' haa sir..'

After lunch they all went for the grape field; daya remained at the front and as

they were approaching sachin and nikhil were chuckling more and more...After

about half an hour they reached nearer the place which was adorned with

beauty...different birds were singing while the cool breeze was blowing steadily

and the verdant leaves of the plants were swaying left and right with

pleasure...stepping ahead a little pankaj said,:' sir...kyu na hum yaha pe baith

jaye? yaha pe hi thora aram karte karte koi khel khele..'

sachin: haaa sir, ye baat pankaj galat na kaha...bohut der se chal rahe hain

hum...

daya:(apathetically) thik hai...baitho...

pankaj: sir...abhi hum kuch khel sakte hain(wink) hai na? kya sir hamesha

serious ho ke rehna...abhi to hum ghumne aye hain...sab ko bachcha ban ke khush

ho jana chaiye...hai na?

nikhil: haa pankaj...ye to sahi kaha ...sir hum 'blind man' khel sakte hain...ye

khet me chhupna bhi asan hoga...aur...khub maja bhi ayegaa...

sachin:(with a secretive smile) hmmmm plan bura nahi hai...

purvi: haaa sir khub maja ayega...kyu shreya?

shreya:( with a tender smile) sab ko maja ayega to ...(she looked at daya archly

) mujhe bhi ayega phir...

pankaj: yeeeeeeeee...chalo chalo...

daya listened to everyone with an affectionate smile and kept noticing the

activities of other...

sachin leapt to his feet,:' to chale...ginti ho jaye...kaun banega sab se pehla

chor...

everyone stood up except daya...

sachin: kya sir? aap kyu baithe hain?

daya: (with a candid smile) tum log khelo na sachin...main dekhta hun baith

ke...

pankaj: nahi sir nahi chalega aise...aap ko bhi khelna hogaa...

purvi: haa sir...aap nahi khelenge to hum bhi nahi khelenge...jaiye...

nikhil: ssir...please...sir kheliye naa...

sachin: sir man jaiye naa...hum sab milke khelenge tab hi na maja ayegaa...

daya flashed a coy smile getting so much attention and shrugging his shoulders he

stood up for playing the game...

sachin: haa...humara play me kuch anokha baat hona chaiye...

purvi: kaisa anokha baat sir?

sachin: jaise ki ek chor ki jagah do do chor? kyu? (his eyebrows danced as he

looked at nikhil)

nikhil: haaa sir...ye achcha rahega...ek chor se jitna thrill do do chor se aur

thrill...

Pankaj: ye lo...sir phir to do me se ek chor mujhe pakr hi lenge sir(sad face)

sachin: are pakre jane ka thrill na hoga to khel ka maja kaise hoga Pankaj? kyu

purvi?

Purvi looked at sachin with surprise but the parlance of his eyes said her all

and she was revealed with all her vivacity,:' haa sir...do do chor aur dugna

maja...hai na? are pankaj...'

in the mean time when everyone had having perky conversation, daya shreya stood

silent though enjoying the happiness of everyone and accidentally their glance

met once which they held for five seconds before breaking it when pankaj boomed

with delight,:'yeeeeeeee...sir der kis baat ki?'

sachin: kisi baat ki nahi...sab khare raho...ginti ho jaye...

After the two rounds of counting, Nikhil and pankaj became the theives...Sachin

fastened their eyes with pieces of cloth material and then everyone started

retracting back...Daya was playing causally, as if enjoying more the jocose

behaviour of his juniors and he was caught easily by nikhil while pankaj was able

to catch purvi...In the next daya caught sachin and purvi caught nikhil...The

play reached in the peak of enjoyment as everyone were laughing teasing and

screaming loud with delight...Many local women gathered a little far to see the

game of six grown up children which was entertaining them too...

Next sachin caught shreya and nikhil captured daya...

daya flashed a coy smile, shreya too adorned her face unknowingly by a placid

smile...They started playing...daya was scrabbling in the dark to catch

someone...it seemed that sachin was in front of him as he heard his voice from

the front ...he went ahead but ended up touching the leaves of the grape

tree...He smiled inside him and turned back and after shuffling for a little he

collided with somebody and hugged tight...but at the next moment he disengaged

himself quickly and said-ohh...purvi...I'm so sorry...'

he threw open the cloth material to find baffled shreya before him...she too

took out the cloth material from her eyes being flummoxed and abashed...Silence

throbbed between them...silence in which there was a desperate yearn to speak out

one's heart..; silence which was a restraint for both of them for any coherent

thought; silence which was made of deep serenity yet profound

restiveness...Shreya's eyes were madly wandering through the huffy face of daya

perhaps to read every single hue of his sullenness while daya was fighting hard

with the tempestuous emotions contracting his every muscles...After about three

full minute, shreya murmured, impassionedly,:'ssir...' daya, cringing his head,

kept flipping unmindfully with some leaves...shreya spluttered irresolutely,:'

ssir...mera irada...aap ko...dukh dene ka...nahi thaa...' a pause of about

half minute persisted and after that shreya came back further,:' ssir...us

waqt...kaise gublu ka jaan bachau...yehi soch se main pareshan

thi...aur...sssir...'

A little far in the grape field...

pankaj: ssir...kya huya? hum to do chor ko chhor ke bohut door agaye...sir woh

log kaise pakrenge hume?

sachin:( with a satisfied smile over his face) to hum ek dusre ko pakarte hai

naa...

pankaj: are sir ye kaise ho sakta hai? sir chaliye...hum khub pareshan kare

shreya aur daya sir ko..

purvi: sshhhh...are pankaj...tu ek number ka gadha hai...kuchh bhi samajh me nahi

ata tujhe...

pankaj:(with a confused face) are mujhe samjhao phir purvi...chor hume na

pakrenge to khel kaise chalega?

sachin: ( exchanged glance with nikhil and purvi and have an affectionate smile

for pankaj)

purvi: (flashed a wry smile at nikhil and sachin) are le chal...main hun

chor...chal bhag main pakarti hun tujhe...sir chaliye...

sachin and nikhil too participated in the new game to satisfy pankaj who was

ignorant about every mischief of his mates...


	9. Chapter 9

:'ssir...ye to meri galti thi...' muttered shreya with difficulty,:' ke...aap ko...bina bata ke...chali gayi...magar sir...mujhe laga tha ki...aap samajh jayenge...ki...shreya...aap ko...kabhi dukh na de sakti hai...' her vision blurred as she continued with trembling voice,:' aur...ssir...' her words were interrupted as a sardonical smile hovered at daya's lips and he clicked his tongue for the first time,:' You did a good work...Inspector Shreya...' his face turned russet, eyes moistened with tears as he added later,:' Senior Inspector daya ko...aap ke khilaf koi complain nahi hai...main to...' he gulped back a clod of pain and resumed,:' main to bureau me ja ke bohut achcha report dunga aap ke bare me...'

:'ssir,' it was an imploring sound from shreya who was getting insanely restive not to break the huff of daya and getting desperate she rubbed her hand back upon a trunk of a tree to get the needed support..and as a result she cut her hand..blood was oozing out slowly and the red marks made daya startled and he rushed to tend the wound...:'ohh...kaise huya ye?' soaking the blood into his handkerchief he stated with worry while shreya gazed deep at him with rapturous eyes and her lips unconsciously uttered,:' yaha pe...itna dard...nahi hai ssir...'

daya asked promptly by reflex action,:' kaha pe ho raha hai phir?' shreya remained silent through kept contemplating at him with fervour...daya tending the wound while suddnely glanced at her, then only he perceived the implied meaning of her words and whirl of discomfiture surged over him and he evaded his eyes quickly with an embarrassment printed over his face...he bandaged the wound hunching towards shreya while shreya could sense the cyclone in his heart by his heaving chest and rapid breathing...When shreya's lips parted to murmur something precious, daya's phone trilled loudly..daya received it,:'ha abhijeet bolo...'

abhijeet: kya yaar? kahi galat time pe to call na kiya tumhe? haa? hehehehe...

daya's face turned russet as he replied combating with the shyness,:'woh...ttum bhi yaar...hamesha mere pichhe lage rehte ho...aisa koi ..bbat nahi...' his eyes squinted at shreya once...

abhijeet: aye? achchha achchha achchha achchha...sath me shreya hai?haa? nai nai sach bolo...

daya:( with a coy smile) hha mera mmatlab...hha...

abhijeet: are wah daya...maja se din gazara kar rahe ho...aur idhar hum din rat kam kar rahe hain haein?

daya kept chuckling bashfully while abhijeet continued,:' are...kuchh to bolo yaar...shreya kya aise tumhare taraf dekh rahi hai ke tum ekdam chup reh gaye ho? haa? nai nai...mujhe behlao maat...mujhe pata hai...ke jab tum koi kam karte ho...ya kisi se baat karte ho...tab shreya tum ko kaise dekhti hai...jaise ki...

daya:aa aabhhiiijit...please...

abhijeet: hehehehe...achchha achchha thik hai baba...bara usar rahe ho haa...waqt barbad kar raha hun?

daya: mujhe wapas ane do...phir dekhta hun kaise mera tang kheechte ho tum...

meanwhile shreya was gazing at the abashed face of daya with infinite tenderness...her eyes were radiating profound reverence and...love...It was not a secret to her that abhijeet was chaffing with his best friend daya and she everytime felt a peace wreathed with tranquility watching that in this vast world someone cared so deeply for her 'daya sir'; someone felt so happy to see her daya sir happy, someone who sharing every grief and bliss lightened the burden of daya sir...

abhijeet: hehehehe...are baba nai nai...tum to yaha pe ake bhi shreya ko dekhte raho...main hun naa...koi tumhara baal banka na kar sakta hai...

daya laughed loud after a long and said,:'achcha abhi rakhta hun...andhera ho gaya hai...wapas jana hai...'

abhijeet: haaye? wapas jana hai? mmatlab shreya ko leke akela...andhera me...ghumne...sab se door...?

daya:(smiling) naah...tum se koi nahi jeet sakta hai baato me...

abhijit: aare aare ye to kaho naa...ki shreya kitna sharmaya...ttum kitna sharmaya..hehehehe...aur dil ki baat dil me hi reh gaya kya?

daya: woh...(squinting at shreya) woh...baad me bataunga...

abhijeet: shreya utavle ho rahi hai kya? hehehehe

daya:( with a huffy yet humorous face) haa wohi...chalo chhorta hun..achcha rehnaa...

abhijeet: hehehehe...haa yaar ...pas me tum nahi ho...phir bhi main bohut khush hun...pata hai kyu?...kyuki...tum shreya ke sath ho...

daya continued chuckling bashfully

abhijeet: apna khayal rakhna dayaa...aur aur...shreya ki abhi...

daya laughed and murmured,:'haa abhijeet...tum bhi...'

abhijeet: chalo byee...

daya: byee...

cutting the line as he turned it seemed to shreya looking at his squirm face that an invincible force could at any time impelled her to burst...burst to squirt out the unimaginable emotion with which she couldn't stand erect...she wished to squeal with all her energy, confessing the most touching and inexplicable emotion she felt ever...:' mujhe aur sahn nahi ho raaha hai...ab aap maan jaiye daya sir...ek bar dil ki gehraio se mujhe pukar ke to dekhiyee...mujhe aap ka rutha huya surat bardasht nahi ho raha hai...bohut dard ho raha hai seene me...' her parlance said him all but he stated, fending off,:' baki log pata nahi kaha reh gaye hain...' he paused looking at shreya and then said evasively,:' age chal ke dekhte hai...' daya stepped ahead but shreya stood riveted closing her teary eyes...daya turned back not to feel shreya's presence and this time coming closer he raised his palm towards shreya...Shreya held it hesitatingly and then both thrust their way within the field to find the rest of the team...

daya: sachiiiiiiin...nikhiiil...( he had having annoyance blended with affection upon his team members as it was as clear as crystal to him that the idea of double thief had been adopted by his mischievous juniors to give them a little space) he now called sachin with a seeming to be angry face...

sachin received it with a little scare,:' yess...sirr...'

daya: kaha ho tum log? ( asked he in hard voice)

sachin: woh sir...hum dakshin ki taraf...jaha pe ek chhota sa talav hai...woh ssir...kuchh mehmano ke sath baat kar rahe hain...

daya;(surprised)(frowning his eyes) mehman?

sachin: haa...sir...aap aiye...sorry sir...woh log aise rasta poochh rahe the ki...

daya:(quickly changing the topic) hmmm thik hai...hum arahe hain...

after about couple of minute they reached beside a small lake formed with pellucid water...though on the way both daya and shreya maintained silence...as shreya couldn't perceive wholly that whether daya's huff had been effaced or not and daya too felt that it had become difficult to be remained in huff when shreya had been fidgeting insde her with so much vehemence just to see him smiling...

sachin said moving towards them,:' ssir...ye log England se aye hain...India ghumne...'

daya noticed that two english couple were sitting in the shadow of a tree along with the team members...

sachin ushered them and said,:' he is our senior most officer senior inspector daya and she is inspecor shreya'. daya flashed courteous smile at them when they too standing up greeted them,:' hello I'm paul and this is my wife Margarett, and he is Andrew, my brother and here is his wife Dolly,' daya and shreya smiled at them with courtsey and joined them...

daya:(smiling) so...have you liked India?

paul: yeaah of course...the nature is beautiful... isn't it margarett?

margarett: yeah...totally mesmerising...

dolly: and romantic too...( flashed a naughty smile)

daya: have you lost the road here?

paul: oh no no...we have come to enjoy the night here...with the nature...with the flaming fire ...and ...with my darling...

daya: ( a little embarrassed) you mean...you will spend the night here? beaneath the sky?

andrew: yeah...what's the problem in it? why should we waste the beauty of the night?

dolly: flaming fire and above us there would be the starry sky...and the gleaming moon...oh look andrew there is the moon...

margarett: and we will have a slow romantic ball...

shreya stared at daya impassionedly as their romantic mood transferred to her...

margarett: and I will request you mister daiya...that please join us in the ball...

daya turned embarrassed and a little confused and stammered hesitantly,:' ball...I mean...' he looked at the faces of his team mates with anticipation and then flashed a titter to them...

purvi to sachin:(whisper) sir...mujhe to itni dance nahi ata hai...

sachin:(whisper) hmmmm...magar purvi...ye mauka hume chhorna nahi chaiye...

purvi: ha sir...ye bhi sahi hai...

margarett: please mister daiiiya...don't refuse us...it would be great if we get the company of you..

daya:(stammered) bbut...I am not sure how much justice we would do with the dance...because...

dolly: it is more enjoyment than that of the minute details of the dance and I hope prufi and sreya would be enjoying it more than anyone...

sachin:(with a humorous smile) why only purvi and shreya?

dolly: because they are women...and whether you believe it or not...every woman comes into the world with some amount of romanticism inside them...

sachin raised his eyebrows with a skittish chuckle while daya too looked at shreya ...but shreya averted her glance quickly repressing the bliss inside her...

The englishmen gathered some straw and pieces of wood and set them on fire with a revelling shout and pushed the button on of a small tape recorder which started playing the soft romantic ball music...

paul: come mister sashin, come mister daaiiya... let's start...

margarett and dolly: yeaah...come prufi...come sreya...

pankaj had a scared face and he nudged nikhil,:' are nikhil...ye kya ho raha hai? isse to achcha rehta hum phir se chhupa chhupi khelte...' nikhil said chuckling,:' dance karna hai pankaj...dheere dheere...'

pankaj:(with a wink) kar dungaa...

purvi:(chuckling) ab dekhe woh log humare sath kitna dance kar pate hain...

at the first round, four couple were dancing...the englishmen with their respective wives and sachin with shreya and nikhil with purvi...daya and pankaj were the viewers...

pankaj nudged daya saying,:' sir ...mera to hath pair thanda ho gaya...ye dekhiye...sir...main to shreya ya purvi ke sath hi nachunga...nahi to sir...

daya smiled at his fright...and then his glance stucked to dancing shreya...her straggling hair were too dancing with the movement...she was looking like a living sweet doll...With a shy chuckle he averted his glance to elsewhere...

the english couple were laughing loud during their dances...while sachin asked shreya,:' shreya...tum to achcha hi nach lete ho...kaha se sikha?'

shreya answered with a shy smile,:' sir...bachpan me khelte khelte kabhi kabhi nachti thi...'

sachin:(with a amusing smile) are wah...tab to miss dolly sahi hi kaha hai...

shreya flashed a reflective smile and then tried to see archly what daya was doing...

instrumental changed and the partners too... as now sachin was dancing with purvi nikhil was with margarett paul was with dolly and andrew was with shreya...and so on...after four rounds...the englishmen went off saying,:'now we willl take rest and this is the time for you...' daya and pankaj had to join with reluctance and hesitation...pankaj with margarett and daya with dolly while sachin -shreya and nikhil-purvi remained intact...daya whispered to dolly,:'sorry madam, if i give any trouble to you...because.. you know...perhaps...this is...only the first time...I am...' he paused watching that shreya was looking at him ardently...and then when the very thought crossed his mind that next round he would be dancing with shreya...a frisson of excitement churned in his stomach...

dolly too whispered keeping her hazel eyes upon daya's,:' it's alright...As i said that happiness comes by our actions...it is not any official gathering...the cool breeze the murmur of the leaves...everything contributes in our happiness...and this dance is a part too..' daya smiled with discomfort...

sachin noticed shreya's glance which was stucked to the movement of daya and he chuckled by himself...

instrumental changed...and now started playing 'nothings gonna change my love for you', partners too changed...sachin-purvi, nikhil-margarett, pankaj-dolly and of course daya-shreya...It seemed to shreya that a vehement tremble started inside her...and whether it was of delight or pain, she couldn't perceive it...for about a minute she couldn't look at the face of daya, but felt only that he held her tight...and if she lost her control, he would seize her at any time...wrapping herself by the warmth of his, she as if spun round the universe, forgetting about every earthly and tangible discomforts...Beneath her breath though she murmured,:' sir...kash...meri jeevan bhi...ye dance jaise hoti..ke main bina koi chinta ke zindegi guzar deti aap ke sneh ka chhaya me reh ke...kash...aap ekbar hans dete... ye mausam ye sarsarti hawa ye rat ki khamoshi...ye jhingur ka awaz ...ye jagmagati tare...mujhe bohut khush kar deta...magar...ek aap ruthe huye hai...to is duniya ka sara sundarta...mujhe bas sata raha hai...mujhe aur koi bhi saza de dijiye sir...magar...ekbar hans dijiye...maan jaiye...' when she mustering her courage raised her eyes, her breath almost stopped watching his illuminated magical face in the flame of the fire...his glistening restive eyes which were craving to speak out...his uncombed hair fluttering a little in the effect of the cool breeze...and his breath thickened as he grasped her more closer...Every accummulated pain in shreya's heart as if melted into tears and started spilling down her cheeks unconsciously...it seemed as if they were clutching each other for years standing vauguely in the emptiness of the universe...daya's quivering lips denied to utter a single word, though he too murmured inside him,:' shreyaa...koi bhala tum se khaffa ho ke kaise reh sakta hai? tum kitni bholi ho...tumhe kaise samajh me ayega ki...ki...kyu tumhara daya sir tum se ruth gaya...kyu use lag raha hai...ki...' his mind suddenly went blank and instead of the music and any possible sound of the world, he kept listening to the purr of shreya..:'daya sir...daya sir...daya sir...'

They were unaware how much time elasped until heard the loud clap and and noisy sounds of delightful enjoyment...and found themselves dancing as the lone couple within the wood...With sheer embarrassment they disengaged themselves while dolly came rushing,:'congrats... daiiiya...congrats sreya...you both are amazing dancer...'Colour stole into their cheeks and precipitating in such a predicament they turned irresolute about what to do...Just at that moment his phone rescued him as it was sounding loud...

daya with a fleeting smile spluttered,:'excuse me' before coming a little far to receive the was ACP sir...With an apprehension, he receieved it,in flummoxed state of mind,:'yes sir...'

ACP; haa dayaa...suno...Mauripur se ek ghanta ka doori me hai Khagrahata village...waha pe kuch pahari tile hain aur jharna bhi...jaha pe hire milte hain...waha pe bohut garbar chal raha hai...

daya: kaisa...(daya trying to assuage the surging emotion inside him came back) kaisa garbar sir?

ACP: kuchh gunde waha se gehr kanooni dhanda kar rahe hain daya...aur humara shaq ke mutabiq woh log waha pe kuchh lashein bhi chhupaya hoga...

daya: okay sir...

ACP: tum pure team leke waha pe jao...

daya; yes sir...

ACP: aur suno...encounter ka jaroorat pare to karna...magar mujhe kam se kam do log zinda chaiye...

daya: yes sir...

ACP: samajh rahe ho naa...do log...zinda chaiye mujhe...akher kya majra hai... humara desh ka sampad leke kya kar rahe hain woh log ye mujhe kisi bhi hal me jan na hai...aur phir kari se kari saza dilana hai un logo ko...samjhe?

daya: yes sir...

Here a little far from the fire, shreya sat down with a reflective face...She was rather feeling dizzy thinking about the pictures those were the parts of reality though she only dreamt of having those things in her life..The sheer care and affection those were radiating through the glistening glance of daya sir only impelled her to think that...he loved her...so deeply...that she perhaps wouldn't ever fathom it...she felt someone's presence as purvi touched her cheek and said, with a bantering tone of voice,:'shreya...daya sir ke kareeb ho ke bhi...ansu...haa?' shreya shrunk in shyness and remained silent...while purvi continued,:' in ansu me sara geela sikwa dhul gaya na haa?' her lips pressed in a teasing smile...Sachin came there with a placid smile over his face as he said,:'are purvi...tum idhar? kyu parehsna kar rahi ho shreya ko? bechari aise hi pareshan hai...'

shreya:(with a start) nnahi...nahi sir...main...pareshan nahi hun...

sachin smiled quizzically and then said watching at the front,:' daya sir agaye...pata nahi kis ka phone tha'

shreya felt as if a pall of shyness descended upon her listening to the two words.."daya sir"

daya coming to them said with grim face,:'sachin hume resort me wapas jana hoga...'

sachin: kyu sir?

daya: kyuki kal bohut jaldi hume ek important kam me jana hai...mission khagrahata village...


	10. Chapter 10

On the next day,when only the dawn approached, they started for the Khagrahata village with a tensed silence...Daya was driving the car with a dangerous somberness over his face while everyone were trying to understand the degree of seriousness of the mission from the expression of daya...

shreya though had tried a lot to come out of her febrile mood but hadn't been successful as last night's befallen incidents kept intruding into her mind, in every moment..and pricking her mercilessly...as ...as everything still remained vague...and as if something unspoken throbbed in her heart, making her perturbed...

sachin broke the silence first,:' to sir...woh log waha se hire churate hain...

daya with tight jaws answered,:' nahi ...bas hire chori hi nahi...kuchh khoon bhi huya...lashein bhi chhupaya gayaa...

nikhil: sir...khagrahata ka nam suna hai...kabhi kabhi log picnic karne chale jate hain waha...

daya: haa nikhil...shawad un me se hi kuchh log gayab ho jate hain...aur...he paused as his glance fell upon the mirror where he saw the woebegone face of shreya...he averted his glance quickly and buried his emotion into the steering grasping it tight...

It took approximately one hour to reach at khagrahata...The place was not within the village but just beside it...hills and jungle were situated in such a way as if one was embracing the other, as if they were complementary to each other...Alighting from the car, they were stepping ahead cautiously towards the seeming to be inaccessible valley...Rain started drizzling unexpectedly and entering into the jungle they tiptoed within the density of the trees...After coming nearer a rock daya snapped,:' ye jagah bohut bara hai sachin tum udhar dekho...nikhil us chhote tile ke us par dekho...hum age barte hain...aur kuch bhi mile mujhe call karna...'

sachin and nikhil went away in different directions...daya along with shreya purvi and pankaj tiptoed ahead to find a labyrinth of narrow paths among the bigger rocks covered with lichens and mass of foliages..

keeping his head strong, daya said in authoritative voice,:' shreeya...tum us taraf dekho...'

shreya received the order with servility and disappeared in a narrow path, though she was feeling that she hadn't been recovered till now from that self of her which longed to be cared by daya sir...Pankaj and purvi too went on their way..and daya chose perhaps the most difficult task of crossing one big rock to find the other parts of the jungle...Rain now pattering steadily making everyone drenched completely...Daya received some scratches over his arms in doing the task , but when reaching over the rock he found that every way had been blocked there and that he would neither go right nor left then he felt a little nervous...

shreya on the other hand found a stair like rock and ascending through it she found a little narrow place through which she walked balancing her weight...The broken rock lead to a darkened cave and she entered into it, hoping that on the other side she would get the way of the jungle...But the cave was full of bats and as they spread flinging their wings with noise...shreya screamed and ran gustily to have an opening out of the cave...and finally she got one and she hastily came out of it with heavy breath. She closed her eyes, perceiving the truth that the place was full of danger and adventure...but suddenly she heard a noise as if some tattered pieces of rock fell down...she tiptoed towards he left very cautiously, with an apprehension that perhaps someone was hidden very near...after about a minute, she reached before a huge waterfall which had been jumped from high and as she stared at the waterfall, she felt the touch of someone...

:'ssir...!' she exclaimed with limitless astonishment watching daya beside her...

:'shreya tum?' daya too was astounded and added later,:' is ka matlab ye sab rocks jure huye hain..'

shreya didn't answer; she could't help but her mind hadn't been turned investigative yet...and a thin layer of huff made her sulky as she muttered, keeping her glance elsewhere,:' bureau me...inspector shreya ki bare me...aap ja ke...is bar bohut bura report de dena sir...main...ab tak na kamiyab rahi ...us...jagah ko...dhoond ke nikalne me...' daya turned his face quickly towards shreya, gazed at her for some seconds to realise that she had been in huff and then an affectionate smile crossed his face..He placed himself just before shreya and called her gently,:'shreya...' shreya didn't reply but just looked at him with a face from which the chldish huff hadn't been effaced yet...daya heaved a sigh of sheer helplessness and tried to jabber,:'agar...mera koi bhi baat...tumhe dukh diya hai...to...I'm sorry shreya...' now as he sought her forgiveness shreya felt that her heart was melting fast and she was craving to kill her huffy self ...

:'shreyaa...ho sake...to mujhe... maaf kar dena...magar shreya...' his squirm face was fidgeting with restiveness...:'magar shreya...is insan ko...tumhi ne hi...tum hi ne jagaya...'

shreya's teary eyes reflected a little surprise as daya continued,:' shreya...mere andar ...mera mmatlab...Senior inspector daya ke andar...jo ek...insan hai...woh to so hi raha tha...mere kaam...mere duty sense...mera daily experiences us insan ko...sulake rakha tha...kyuki...woh ek bachcha jaise hi ziddi hai..' a dolorous smile hovered at the corner of his lips...;'woh...aise hi...khaffa ho jata hai...'

tears blending with the drops of rain, streaking down shreya's cheeks while daya resumed, with a rueful smile,:'us ziddi ruthe huye bachcha ko...aj tak...kisi ne na pehchana...kisi ne kadr na kiyaa...tarif bhi mila to bas mere bahar ki taqat ke liye... mere kam ke liye...mere dil ke liye nahi...jis dil ko...tum pehchana shreyaa...jis dil ka tum kadr karti ho...ijjat karti ho...jis dil ka chinta tumhe hamesha laga rehta hai...'

shreya felt weak as the gentle words of daya as if dashing on the sensitive heart of her, impelling her to feel the desire to lull him squeezing every drop of affection out of her heart...

daya now kept his fervent glance upon her teary one and murmured,:' tumhi ne mujhe kaha tha...meri dil...mom jaise narm hai...agar...tumhe...ye pata hai...to...'

he lowered his head down and kept staring at his foot like a school boy who had been reprimanded severely and then resurrected back,:'to...ye bhi pata hogaa...ke...us dil ko dukh ho...to ...'

shreya almost forcefully spluttered breaking in sobs,:' mmmain...main...kabhi na dukh dungi...aap ko...ssir...mmain...us din...kisi ko is liye bhi na bataya...kyuki...mujhe pata tha...ki aap mujhe jane nahi denge...' daya clutched her close and whispered,:' mere dil ko dukh mile...to ...mujhe phark na parta tha shreya...magar ...jo...' his abashed face glistened,:'jo...mera dil ka khayal rakhti hai...woh agar dukh de to...thori si khaffa ho jata hai woh...' shreya raised her eyes at daya... the intensity of the rain had been burgeoned ...and drops of rain falling down from his drenched hair...eyebrows and chin...making him as lovable as a little child...Unknowingly she came more closer of him than before...daya too looking intently at the drenched face of shreya...her pink lips had become puffy perhaps getting the moisture from the rain and perhaps repressing the unbridled emotion for so long...stream of water spilling down the sides of her cheeks and her drenched hair...Nothing was between them except the drizzling rain...Within the chill and wet, both felt the warm and fast breath of the other as unknowingly their nose met with the other...and their lips brushed until they met to slake the thirst of other...daya holding her tight nuzzled over her drenched cheek and pecked on her soft earlobe. the soft moan of shreya lost into the sound of the waterfall and rain as she lay soft in his arms with a content of complete surrender...They held each other tight for sometimes until daya undone her ear ring from one ear...shreya looked at daya finally with half fervent half surprising glance while daya, with a coy smile whispered,:'ye abhi mere pas hi rahe...baad me...main...' he didn't continue and only flashed her an endearing smile...

shreya checking her other ear found it empty, having been flabbergasted, while daya taking out the lost ear ring out of his pocket flashed again a puckish chuckle...shreya's glance turned deep raditaing nothing but pure love...while daya cupping her chin, sursurrated,;' abhi mujhe permission do...taqi...main...tumhara daya ko sulake...Inspector daya ban saku... jo tumhare liye bohut garv mehsus karta hai...' both smiled meaningfully gazing at the other and then shreya said in hard voice,:' khagrahata mission sir...' daya purred gently, though making his face determinted, :'chalo...'

[The End]

A/N: I would like to thank everyone who have read the story with eagerness and making reviews inspired me. Since a long I was thinking of making a story about daya & shreya because it's my perception that their relationship is based on pure respect and very normally it attracted me. Finally a story has been formed and hopefully liked by my friends..and what can be better prize if you like it? Thanks once again my friends for giving me courage and guts to write more ….Have a very nice day to everyone…


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